A simple question on r/travel sparked hundreds of responses about age, travel comfort, and the hidden costs of budget travel: "How old were you when you realized your body could no longer handle red-eye flights?"
The discussion reveals generational differences in travel priorities and raises a broader question: when does "saving money" stop being worth the physical toll?
The Original Question
"I've always taken red-eyes because they're cheap, even though they leave me completely exhausted," the poster wrote. "Still, I'm really grateful for them. They allowed me to see the world when I was young and broke. At what age did you realize you just couldn't do red-eye flights anymore?"
The question assumes a breaking point exists — an age when the savings no longer justify the suffering.
Based on the 227 comments, that assumption is correct. But the specific age varies wildly.
The Responses: A Spectrum
The "Still Going Strong" Crowd (40s-50s)
Multiple travelers in their 40s and 50s reported still taking red-eyes without major issues:
"I'm 47 and still do them regularly. The trick is knowing you'll need a recovery day on the other end."
"52 here. Red-eyes are fine. It's the middle seats in economy I can't handle anymore."
For this group, the breaking point isn't age — it's planning. They've learned to build recovery time into their itineraries.
The "I Stopped in My 30s" Group
A significant number reported hitting a wall in their 30s:
